Houston Dash player Michelle Alozie has revealed her undiluted respect for England star Lauren James despite what transpired between them.
James was given her marching orders in the 87th minute of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup encounter for a thoughtless stamp on Nigeria’s Alozie.
Following intense competitive action in regulation time and extra time, Nigeria and England settled for a goalless draw.
However, Sarina Wiegman’s side showed that they had the grit and composure to withstand the pressure of penalties.
The European champions came out victorious 4-2 in the shoot-outs and the Lionesses were in a bubbling mood as they secured passage to the quarter-final.
Anyway, the picture of the moment Lauren James stamped on Michelle Alozie was captured and it has since been a subject of conversation.
Many have taken to social media to post comical memes of the image with different hilarious depictions.
But despite all of these, Michelle Alozie shared on Twitter that she has “respect for Lauren James.”
The Nigeria international wrote: “Abeg, rest. We are playing on the world’s stage. This game is one of passion, insurmountable emotions, and moments. All respect for Lauren James.”
The 26-year-old also saw the fun of the widely spread picture on social media as she also posted the image on Twitter with the caption “life.”
The stunning Nigerian footballer is a darling to football-loving Nigerians across the world and she also has a lot of male fans due to her lovely physique.
In a subsequent tweet to the one she made indicating her respect for Lauren James, Alozie still insisted that the challenge was befitting of a red card.
The 11-time African Women’s Cup Of Nation Champions crashed out of the round of 16 for the second tournament consecutively and the third time in the knockout phase since they started participating in the Mundial.
Despite the defeat, some Nigerians were full of praise for the ladies and manager Randy Waldrum for the country’s display at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Michelle Alozie is also undeterred by her penalty miss in the shoot-outs which had an effect in Nigeria losing on Monday, August 7, 2023.
Alozie shared on Twitter: “Self-disappointment overcast with overwhelming pride for my teammates, gratitude for the journey, and glory to God—always.”
Michelle Alozie put up an impressive display at the tournament with rock-solid defensive performances coupled with remarkable attacking showing.
She played all 90 minutes of competitive football in Nigeria’s group-stage matches at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 120 minutes in the round of 16.
Since making her debut in June 2021, Alozie has gone on to make 18 appearances for the Super Falcons of Nigeria.